Draft attachment



May 24, 1932. E. H. SCHMIDT ET AL 1,859,535

DRAFT ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 19, 1927 3 Sheena-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

www4..

May 424, 1932. E. H. hscHMlDT ET AL I1,859,535

DRAFT ATTACHMENT Filed Jn. 19, 1927 5 Shets-Sheet v2 INVENTQRS: E'm l'aud andlfaefl. S ence.

TTORNEY.

May 24, 1932. v E. H. scHMlDfr ET AL 1,859,535

DRAFT A ATTACHMENT A TTQRNEY Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATESv PATE ERNEST H. SCHMIDT, OIE* CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, AND HUBERT L. SPENCE, OF`CLEVE- LAND, OHO, ASSIGNORS TO NATIONAL MALLEABLE AND- STEEL CASTNGS COM- PANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFOI-IIO y DRAFT ATTACHMENT Applicatonled January 19, 1927.' Serial N'o. 161,992.

Fig. l is a horizontal section showing an embodiment of our invention Vintended for use with Farlow attachments; `Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof on line H-.II of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. l, but with the coupler under draftand pulling at an angle to the draft attachments; Fig. l is a perspective of the buffer block; Fig. 5 is a section showing the application of our invention to a vertical hooded yoke; Fig 6 is a Section on line VI-VI of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a section showing the application of a modified form of intermediate follower particularly adapted for use in connection with a vertical yoke. y

With the present day modern hea-Vy service requirements, difficulty is had with either of the two types of draft attachmentsnow in most common use, i. e., vertical and horizontal yokes, for the reason that neither of these attachments in its connection with the standard shank of the standardA D-coupler contains any adequate provision for lateral angling of the coupler relative to the means hy which it is attached tothe car. While the standard coupler shank and attachments provide for a lateral movement of the coupler head of 1% inches oneither side, measured at the face line of the striking casting, the horizontal yoke and the standard vertical yoke can not move laterally more than a fraction of an inch, with the result that on a curved track the entire draft stress will be thrown upon and carried through only one side of the yoke. This also results in a very unequal distribution of stress through the sides of the coupler shank to -and through the horizontal draftkey. AmericanR-ailway Association standards call for a minimum of l2 square inches cross sectionvof metal in tension through the coupler and attachments, hut when the coupler'is angled laterally so that the pull is only through one V side of the yoke, it is obvious't-hat only one half of the capacity of the yoke is available and that the attachments thus do not comply with the Ysaid standards. As the rear face of the standard D-coupler shank is square, it is clear that it will have only a line bearing upon the front follower when the coupler is angled. Vhen the. coupler is angled to its fullest en! tent, this line 4bearingl will he (iE-centered 25,@ inches, or one-half the width of the coupler shank, with the result that the lWedge or friction elements of the draft gear may he tipped by this off-centeredapplication of force, which will prevent the gear from offering itsfull normal resistance to thehufiing.

blow. As bufng shocks are more severe thanvdraft shocks, the gear when the coupler is angled is thus ata great disadvantage and is unable fully to protectthe car. l

We have devised an improved draft attachment which ohviates the difficulties re` ferred to above and gives a true` equalized pulling and bufling action when the coupler is angled laterally. In addition we have so formed our attachments that they mayfhel used with either existing vertical or horif` zontal yokeror links without change in the yoke' or links, and permit just as great lateral angling as with present devices. 1 It also permits. the use v of the present standard VEL:

vcoupler asa repair or replacementin' suoli a way as to meet the American Railway Association standards as to strength, safety, etc.,

and further has the advantage of reducing to a minimum the additional weight as well as the cost of the additional parts reopiired. Our invention also comprises various vfeatures which weshall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the'drawings, we have showny our invention applied to a car coupler se` cured to a Vcar by the usual Farlow attach- V ments, in which A indicates the carcoupler,

B the horizontal links or yoke arms, C the draft gear, D Vthe draftkey, which extends i through horizontal slots 2 in the links yand `3' in the coupler shank, and E the front fol# Y Ztl V 'ral with and extending forward lower, with its key F. The slot 3 in the Vcoupler shank has its front face 4 bevelled forwardly on each side of the coupler center line and its rear face 5 is concave in a horizontal plane. Both front and rear surfaces 4 and 5 are also concave in vertical planes. Seated in the concave face or bearing 5 is an Yequalizer member 6, the rearrface 'Z of which is convex in two directions to `correspond with the surface 5, and its forward face 8 is concave in a vertical direction. The rear end of the coupler shank has an arc-shaped rear surface 9, preferably struck about the same center as the bearing l een the arc4shaped rear 'end 9 of the shank a d the front face of the follower E is the bumng block 10, the forward face 11 of which is curved in approxi: mately the same arc as the surface 9. intefollower 'E are the wings 12 between which is seated the buifmg block l0. These wings 12 Apreferably flare outwardly and extend a suilicient distance forward to act as lateral guides forthe coupler shank particularly duringreturn from tne draftmovements of the shank.

At its upper and lower portions the buiiing block has forwardly extending` webs 13 which lie aboveand below the coupler shank and act to guide or restrain the shank vertically init-s draft movements. As isA shown u in Fig. 8, these webs 13 extend forwardly far Y supports the bufhng e on vthe equalizing enoughto overlap the rear end of so as to overlap the wings 12'of the follower E, so that the follower E accordingly block. It held in such position by cotters 14 orthe like eX- tending in front of the ears onthe top and bottom webs 13. y`

Then the coupler is angled laterally the shank will rotate Vabout the convexr bearing 7 member '6. Vfhen' under draft, the shank will have an extended bearing 'on the key D Vthrough the equalizing member Y6 and the key 'D vill have an equal- 13 also extend laterally yized bearing'on tlieforwardsides ofthe yoke arms-B at the forward ends of the slots 2 thus transmitting to the draft gear C through the yoke arms B the equalized load. Under `buE, when the coupler is angled laterally the arc-shaped rearfend 9 of the coupleriA will strike the curvedforward face 11 of the buff- V ing block 10, If the angled movement ofthe coupler is extreme, the rear end ofthe coupler will first strike the wings 12V and 'then' slide into engagement with the arc-shaped face 11 of the bufling block 10, and'will'drive *the buifing block 10 and front follower Erearwardly ragainsttheresistance of the draft lot will thus that thefcouplershankisdriven rearward-ly under buff, thewings 1.2 of the front followerV ti e curved face Q11 of `the bufing block 10 'will` '1 tend to center and guide it, so that an Vofffrom `the Y the shank 'in its eXtreme forward movement. vThe webs f gle horizontal key M. The buiiing block has its top and bottom webs or walls 23 carried well forward, so that when the coupler is under draft the block will be amply support ed by the shank. lt-is not necessary here to provide the forwardly flaring wings upon the front follower N, for the reason that thesides 22 of the yoke hood closely confine the movement of the oouplerA. These'side walls 22 of the yoke hood also have the advantage of preventing the buiiing block 2O from twist-V ing within the hood. If desired, projections 25 maybe added at the top and bottomof the buffing block so that it will be further supported bythe yoke arms. Y

lIn Fig. 7 wehave shown a modified form of yoke in which the vertical dimensionv (indicated at afa) at the forward end of the yoke hood is increased so as 'to makethe opening of a slightly greater vertical extent than the vertical height of the buiiingY block, sothat the ybu'liing block may be readily applied or removed throughy the forward end of Vthe hood.

It will be seen that in ward end of the slot 3 Vforward conforms to the present D-coup'l'er standard, butrrearwardly of this point the shank is flared out to a width of approximately 6 inches to com# peiosateV for the lossof -metal dueto'thefin-Y crease in size in the key slot. Rearwardof the line -J-b the sides of the shank Aare bevelledy off slightly, in 'order to Vallow it to swing suiiciently in thevvertical y-foke.

As it is practically an essential that the standard D-coupler-may be interchangeable our improved conn Ystruction the coupler shank 'from the for# withl the special shank coupler'here shown,

we have-'so constructedA our shank and the bu'er block that the distance from the forward face lof the' equalizer" 6 tothe rear face of the bolder block is the saine as the distance from the rear face of the key slotv in the shank of the standard D-coupler to the rear end of such shank.

angle fre-ely in the coupler shank, VtherebyY equalizing the pulling stresses within the 'shank as well as the pulling stressesupon the key. As the arc-shaped rear end of thercou'- In case of coupler breakage, lthe. broken coupler`withits-equalizer may bey cal A(il) pler shank seats against-a correspondingly shaped surface in the b'uiing block, there is' likewise provided, i an e ualized bearing against the follower in bu g, thereby preventing any tendency for the follower to angle laterally as it is buffed against the gear, and consequently the gear is pressed evenly, with no tendency to tip the follower wedge or elements ofthe gear. l l Y The terms and expressions which we have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and we have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognize that `various Vstructural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

"What we claim is: l

l. In a coupler attachment, the combina* tion of av coupler shank and a yoke having horizontal aligned slots; a connecting key seating in said slots; a draft gear in said yoke; a follower for said gear; and a buiing block removably supported by said follower having a rotative engagement with said shank. l Y

In a coupler attachment, the combination of a couplershank and a yoke having horizontal aligned slots; a connecting key seating in said slots; a draft gear in said yoke; a follower for said gear; a bufhng block removably supported by said follower having a rotative engagement with said shank; and means vmovable relative to said coupler in draft forV guiding the rear end of said coupler into engagement with said buffer in the .central vertical plane thereof.

3. In a coupler attachment, the combina-V tionof a horizontally slotted coupler shank having a curved rear face in said-slot and a curved rear face upon the exterior thereof; horizontally slotted yoke; a horizontal key extending through said horizontal slots in said shank and yoke; a draftgear mounted in said .yoke buflin block having a supporting engagement with the draft gear, said block having an overlapping engagement in buiiing and in draft with the coupler shank.

1l. In a coupler attachment, the combination of a horizontally' slotted 4coupler shank having a curved rear face in said slot and a:

curved rear face upon the exterior thereof; a horizontally slotted yoke; a horizontal key extending through said horizontal slots in said shankand yoke; a draft gear mounted in saidyoke; a follower of said gear; a buding block intermediate said follower and coupler end, said follower having forwardly einA tending wings arrangedto guide the coupler butt into engagement with said bufling block.

In a coupler attachment, the combination of a couplershank and a yoke having horizontal aligned slots; a connecting key seating in said slots; -a draft gear in said yoke; a fol- `tion between shank and follower.

lower for said gear; a bufling block removably supported by said follower having a rotative engagement with saidshank; and means for holding the bufling block in operative rela- 6. In a coupler attachment, the combination of a coupler shank anda yoke having horizontal aligned slots; a connecting 4key seating in said slots; a draft gear invsaid yoke; a follower for said gear; a buliing block intermediate said follower and shank; and side members within the yoke forward of said follower having a supporting engagement with one lof said parts and ybeing arranged to guide the coupler butt into engagement with said buflng block.

7. In a coupler attachn'ient,A the combina tion of a coupler shank, a horizontal yoke, and a follower, means for connecting said shank and yoke for transmitting'V draft U stresses, a bufling block between the rear end of said shank and said follower and .movable radially with'respect to the shanlnand guiding means carried by 'one of said members adjacent the rear end of the shank for ;uid-k ing said shank into alignment with said fol` lower.

8. In a coupler attachment, the combina* tion of a coupler shank, a horizontal yoke, and a follower, fmeans'for connecting' 'said shank and yoke for transmittingvdraft stresses, a bufling blockbetween the rearend of said' shank and said follower and movable radially with respect to the shank, andguiding means carried by one of said members "'G `disposed laterally of the Vshank near the rear end thereof for guiding saidshank into align ment with said follower. 1 Y 9. In a coupler attachment, the Qombinz'i-V tion of a coupler shank and a yoke secured together by a horizontally extending key; a

draft gear'mounted in saidyoke; a follower for the draft gear; a block between VYthe rear end of the coupler shank andthe follower removably supported on one of said members, said block beingv operative only in buff and means'cooperating with said vshank and positioned between the arms vof said yoke'for bringing the rear end ofthe shank into central bearing on saidblock during. returnrof the shank from draft position. y i

10'. In a coupler attachment, the combinationof a horizontally slotted coupler shank, having a curved rear face insaid slot and curved rear face upon theexterior thereof; if a horizontal key within said horizontal sloti cushioning mechanism' 4rearward-V of said *A shank; a follower interposed between said cushioning mechanismv and shank; and independent stress equalizing members supported if" independently of the yoke interposedbetween l said curved faces and said key and said follower for transmitting draft and builing stresses from said shank to said cushioning s .Il Y :qu mechanism, one of saio equalizmg members with said shank in draft andthe other of said members being movable in buff relative to yoke and with said iirst'named equalizing member. Y,

11 In a coupler attachment, the ycombination of a coupler shank and a yokehaving horizontal aligned slots; a connecting key seating in said'slots; a draft gear in said yoke and a follower between said gear and coupler shank,.and independent draft and bu'ifv equalizing members, one of saidmembers seated within lsaidshaiik and bearing upon said key and the other of said membersbeing interposed betweensaid shank and follower and being movable rearwardly relative to said yoke in buifing, whereby said yoke may remain stationary during buiiing movements of said coupler; f

12. 'In a draft rigging, the combination 'with a coupler having a-.sliank of the same vertical height throughout its length, of a P cast hooded yoke having the upper and lower walls of the hood section thereof forwardly converged, and within which hood section the butt end of the coupler shaiikis adapted to be received; a shock absorbing Vdevice having front follower acting means yand removable means occupy-ing each of the spaces left between and defined by the front Yface of said follower actingnieans, converging wall of the hood section, and opposed horizontal surface of the coupler shank and held in place bysaid follower; Y

13. As an article ofmanufacture, a front yfollower for a railway draft rigging having y a follower section proper transversely slotted to receive a key, and upper'and lower fixed jaws proj ectingY forwardly therefrom, said jawsvbeing sp'acedto fit over the butt end of f a coupler shank. Y Y y 14. In. a railway draft appliance, the combination with a slotted yoke having a'rplurality of spaced arms adapted `to receive a cush- Yioning Vdevice between them,of a car coupler c having a slotted stem extendingv intoY said yoke, `a key passing through said slots for slidably connecting the yoke and coupler, and a bearing `block floatingly mounted in said yoke for transmitting bulfing 'force to a cusli- Vioning device, said coupler and bearing block y f being longitudinally movable withrespectto the yoke during buffing, said bearing block having portionsfoverlappingly embracing opposite sides of thefstem of the coupler in all positionsftlie latter may assume in draft, and said coupler stemfand bearing block vbeing L'provided with 'correspondingly curved cooperatingbearing surfaces permittingfthecoupler to swingwith respect tosaid block., Y

15. In a railway draft appliance,the combination with a slotted yokeliaving a plu- 'rality'of spaced arms adapted to receivea cushioningrtilevice betweenithem, of a car coupler having a slotted stem extendinginto tending portions having inclined forwardlyk yoke;

for slidably connecting the yoke and coupler, the slots ofthe yoke being. elongated-to permit the coupler to move rearwardly with respect to the yoke in buiing, a key seat inem-` ber interposed between the coupler and the l key, and a'floatingbearing block engaging.` the rear end -of the coupler and movable longitudinally with respect to the yoke in bufling', said coupler being provided with a plurality of concentric'ally curved surfaces,

said key seat being provided with a curved face for cooperating withone of the curved surfaces of the coupler, said bearing blockV being provided with v'a curved-surface for 'cooperating with the other curved surface of the coupler and also being formed with forwardly exteiiding'portions embracing Vopposite sides of the coupler, said forwardly eX- converging faces, and the` said yoke being rovided with correspondingly inclined faces adapted to cooperate with the bearingblock to form guides for the latter. A

16.1n a draft rigging, the combination with a coupler having va shankof the same vertical height throughout its length, of a cast hoodedyoke having the upper fand lower walls of the hood section thereof forwardly converged, and within which hood section 95V the butt end of the couplersh'ank is adapted to be received; a shock absorbing device having front follower acting means gv and removable means positioned inV each of the spaces left between and defined by the front i face of said follower actingmeans, coiiverging wallof the hood section, and opposed f horizontal surface of the coupler shank and held in place byVv said follower, all portions of said Vremovable means being withinthe connes ofsaid yoke .for enabling said means to move rearwardly with respect to said yoke during buifing movements of said shank. Y

17. In a coupler attachment, the combination of a coupler shank and ayoke having g horizontally aligned slots ;a connectingkey seating inv said slotsga draft gear insaid yoke; a follower for said draft gear; a" buffing block between the shank and follower operative only in buifing adapted to bringthe .115i

rear end of the shank into central bearing with the draftrgear; and means disposed i between the side of the shank-and the yoke Y for guiding the coupler shank laterally.

18. In a coupler attachment, the combina- 129* tion of a coupler shank and a yoke having lhorizontallyalignedrslots; a 'connecting key seating in said slots; Va draft gear insaid afollower for said gear; a buiing block interposed between said shankl and having a rotative' engagement y with' said shankg-and guiding means disposed between the sides of the ,shank-and` the yoke for guid-y ing the coupler shank laterally.V Y

19. `In a coupler attachment, thecombiiial130' follower 125. 'Y

tion of a coupler shank and a yoke having horizontal aligned slots, a, connecting key in said slots; a draft gear in said yoke; the yoke having walls extending over and under the coupler shank and separate members engaging said shank, one of said members being confined within the shank and active only in draft, the other of said members being supported on the shank and disposed between the Shank and draft gear, said latter member being confined entirely between said yoke walls whereby said member may move longitudinally relative to the yoke in buil'.

ERNEST H. SCHMIDT. HUBERT L. SPENCE. 

